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left to right: Sylvia Martinez Bird, Amira Escutia Mejia, Norma Rodriguez Adamo, Julia Vera, and sitting: Ardith Anderson Epstein

Shaman, while browsing your website, i came across the bio Leonard sent ya of himself..what he didn't mention was that he was one of the star members of the mhs '56 state champs basketball team! very humble of him!..his younger sister, ardith anderson epstein is in the photo below taken at the dec. 27th, '05 loncheon at the holiday inn, laredo, hosted
by dr. neo gutierrez and moi, normis... left to right: sylvia martinez bird, amira escutia mejia, norma rodriguez adamo, julia vera, and sitting: ardith anderson epstein.. except for julia, '59..the rest of us
are mhs class of '57..unas beauties, que no?.. wuv, normis...p.s. someone, in our circle of remmers, must have a photo of the '56 state champs..i will find it... Normis

no act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted. aesop

The below article had to be broken up in three parts due to the inability to upload it in it's whole state to the server.

Leonard Anderson response to Normis above email: Viernes, 06 de Enero de 2006 08:11 p.m.

I cherish my High School years especially playing basketball with my team mates in 1956. It was an experience that only a few have the privilege to relate. This is particularly true after all these years.

I value with greater esteem my attending and playing b-ball at Allen Military Academy, a Jr. College at the time, in Bryan, Tx, during Sep 1956 - May 1958. I did it with the help of two other 1956 mates, William Dickinson and Hector Chacon.

But of more consequence, was my three years of lettering at Texas A & I College in Kingsville. While the three years were uneventful from a standpoint of being a "star", I am real proud that I clawed, kicked, and fought my way to get the coach's honor (non-solicited) to appoint me captain of the 1961 Texas A&I Javelina b-ball squad. I say this because I am not aware that the players voted me for this honor.

I also am extremely proud of the most important decision of my college years. That was to stay enrolled and complete the ROTC program. It provided me with the opportunity to serve my country in the United States Army. Very few young men in the United States of America want to do this in today's world situation. I truly admire them for volunteering for military service.

The Army provided me with the opportunity not only to serve my country, but to live in other countries. By so doing, I am able to further cherish our great United States of America, our culture and way of life. This manner of life has no equal in the world today. Even our detractors, who moan today, should attest to this.

I did get to visit a small portion of he World, to include nice places in Europe, Southeast Asia, and South America. I once stood at zero degrees longitude and latitude on this great Earth. About 20 some odd years later, I found myself at the half-way point between the equator and the north pole. Having been at the Equator earlier in my career, I dreamed in an instance about going to the North Pole. At that moment, I wanted to go to Alaska and from there make it to the North Pole. It never materialized during the trip as I ended up in the solitude of beautiful quiet mountain lake fishing for truchas.

Of all the above, my military service takes precedence. That to me was the pinnacle of my career ,and what I could do for my country which provided opportunities and continues to do so for me and my family.

I should note that my life is still a "work in process."

Quit raising banners about me. It will embarrass my sisters.

Not sure if they will transfer, but I have attached a picture with my daughter's "attack dog" captured about a year ago and another taken right after my tour in Vietnam.

Leonard Anderson : tej7ano @ hotmail.com (this is not a link)

Shaman; yes, maybe you should post the rem about Leonard Anderson's roll in the mhs '56 state champs team...they were seniors that year, we girls were juniors, and i remember the big hoopla being state champs..some other members of
the team that i can remember, willie dickenson, andy santos, hector chacon, etc..walter herbeck and jose luis novoa were "team managers'...i know walter must have a photo of the team and all the names..there's also a photo of their reunion, years later, that's floating around somewhere...p.s. funny that you asked leonard how come he wrote such good spanish, (leonard of course in mix anglo - spanish) seems like the 'anglo' kids at mhs all learned to speak spanish from us and we learned english from them..as a matter of fact, one of the newpapers reported that the laredo champ team members were all spanish speaking, meaning, in other words, hispanic... Normis

Marin High Tigers 1956 Texas Prep "AAAA" Basketball State Champions :